And the season begins

Schedule
Everything seems pretty normal at work and at home. No experiments this week and home this weekend. Saving up my energy for the next few months.

Questions: Why do some people breath so hard when running racing and other don't?  I don't think I sound like that. If I pushed myself to sound like that I would completely blow up.

Does the buoy go at my ankles?





Weeks highlights:
Tuesday Masters- 3500. Got kicked out of my lane. Too many fast people and 200 and 400 IMs. I can't keep up. Swam in a lane down basically by myself. Did 4-100 IMs the first time and free for most of the rest of the workout. Still happy with the distance. Glad to take control of my swimming.

Saturday- Run to Pub. Despite not really feeling like running hard and not seeming super motivated I think I pulled the race off pretty well. Got to the start not very early. Basically got off the bus, pee'd in somebodies backyard, took off my warm clothes, and the gun went off. Did not feel good running so cold. Also, felt like I started out too fast, but decided to just go with it, and I could slow down when the time came. Kept running. Started to get cramped up on one of the downhills about 1.5 miles to go. This cramping is nothing new. Happened in a marathon once and at the Grizzly on the downhill a couple hears ago. It is a very painful cramp. I think brought on by dehydration, low electrolytes, and the downhill impact. Had to slow down or I knew it would be over. As soon as I got to the bottom of the hill started running fast again. Had a good 1/2 mile battle with another woman. She was breathing so hard I totally thought I could drop her. Couldn't. Sprinted at the end to beat her. Thank goodness for cyclocross. She was so nice. Thanked me for pushing her so hard. She pushed me too. 6:55 pace. Damn I really didn't think I had that in me. (It was a fast course, mostly downhill) AG 2nd. 5th overall!!!

Sunday- It was so nice out. There was a little wind but without it we would have been in short sleeves. Erik and I rode, which was nice since we don't often spend the whole day together. Rode on dirt north of town and climbed what we just named the Endodontist climb, like "the dentist" at the Speedwagon, but much longer and steeper. You think you are at the top and it is only halfway. Lots of ups and downs to get there. We left the house at 12:30 and got home at 6:30. It did involve a couple of trip to my sisters and the grocery store so I believe we rode hard for at least 4 hours. Saw five bald eagles, forgot how hungry we would get, and were very tired after getting home. Good practice and reminders for the Speedwagon.

Monday- Nice easy, easy 30 minute run. My quads are so sore from cramping up on Saturday. Followed run with a bunch of stretching and PT.

Weeks failures:
Baby step Elliot, baby steps. I logistically had a hard time planning an outdoor ride. Rode to and from work and then rode the rollers for an hour. It was snowy and I couldn't figure out which bike to ride, what clothes to wear, where to ride. To much.